Dalgarup Forest: A Heritage at Risk and a Call for Collective Action
The Dalgarup Forest, located in the South West of Western Australia, is one of the state’s most ecologically rich and historically significant natural areas. Situated near Bridgetown, it forms part of the greater Southwest Australia biodiversity hotspot, a global priority for conservation due to its high levels of endemic species and increasing threats from human activity.
Currently, Dalgarup faces a grave threat: mining tenements covering approximately 32,000 hectares have been approved for exploration within and around this forest. These developments pose a direct risk to the forest’s ecological integrity, the recreational use of surrounding trails and parks, and the health and livelihoods of nearby communities. Yet the threat extends beyond local borders—what happens in Dalgarup should concern everyone, from city dwellers in Perth to policymakers in parliament.
This report outlines the ecological and cultural history of the Dalgarup Forest, examines the proposed mining tenements, discusses their broader impacts, and explains why this is an issue of state and national concern.
A Brief History of Dalgarup and Its Surroundings
Dalgarup Forest is nestled between the towns of Bridgetown, Greenbushes, and Nannup. It includes sections of native forest that belong to both the Jarrah and Warren bioregions. This region is known for its towering jarrah, marri, blackbutt, and even rare inland populations of karri trees. These forests form a mosaic of unique ecosystems that support threatened wildlife species, including the western ringtail possum, chuditch (western quoll), and black cockatoos.
The forest was historically subjected to selective logging, but over the years, increasing recognition of its ecological value led to portions of it being protected. In 2004, parts of the area were included in the creation of Dalgarup National Park. Following a broader public campaign and growing awareness of the climate and biodiversity crises, the WA Government announced in 2021 that native forest logging would end by January 2024.
However, the ink had barely dried on that commitment when mining applications for the same forests began appearing—raising serious questions about the consistency and credibility of WA’s environmental policies.
The Mining Tenements and Their Impact
The most immediate threat comes from mining exploration tenements E70/6654 and E70/6655, granted to Flinders Prospecting Pty Ltd. These tenements span across Dalgarup and surrounding state forest, and allow for exploration activities such as road clearing, soil sampling, and drilling—all of which involve destruction of native vegetation and disruption of ecosystems.
While these are currently exploration licences, if mineral deposits are found, they can be converted into full mining licences, opening the door to large-scale open-cut mining in the heart of ecologically sensitive forest. According to the WA Forest Alliance (2025), this area includes some of the last mature forest stands in the region, with irreplaceable biodiversity, old-growth characteristics, and carbon storage capacity.
Additionally, the tenements overlap with critical water catchments and wildlife corridors that connect to adjacent protected areas.
Impact on Trails, Parks, and Local Communities
Dalgarup Forest is not only biologically important—it’s also a vital recreational and cultural resource. Its proximity to major regional trails and parks like the Bibbulmun Track, the Blackwood River National Park, and Warren National Park makes it a favourite for hikers, bird watchers, mountain bikers, and campers.
Mining threatens to close or degrade these trails, through:
Noise and dust pollution
Tree removal and access restrictions
Habitat disruption that reduces wildlife sightings
Water table interference, affecting nearby rivers and wetlands
Many small businesses in towns like Bridgetown and Nannup depend on eco-tourism. As tourism operators have warned, degradation of these natural assets would directly reduce income and employment opportunities for the region.
Why Everyone Should Pay Attention
1. Forest Loss Affects Climate for All of Us
Even if you live in Perth, Fremantle, or Bunbury, the forests of the South West affect your life. Native forests like Dalgarup play a critical role in capturing and storing carbon dioxide. Losing them accelerates climate change—which brings hotter days, more extreme weather, and health impacts across WA.
The forests also act as climate buffers by regulating local rainfall and temperature, contributing to water security across the region.
2. Biodiversity is a Public Good
WA’s unique species don’t exist anywhere else on Earth. The extinction of a possum or orchid species may not be headline news in the city, but it represents a permanent loss of our state’s natural heritage. Once a species disappears, it’s gone forever—and the ecosystem that depended on it begins to unravel.
Dalgarup is part of a greater ecological network. Losing one link weakens the resilience of the entire system, including those parts closer to cities and farming regions.
Public Land is Everyone’s Land
Dalgarup sits on publicly owned land—State Forest and National Park. This land is held in trust for the people of Western Australia. Mining companies are private entities that profit from public resources. When a mining licence is granted, it effectively hands over access to public land for industrial use, often for decades.
It is our shared responsibility to ask: Is this the best use of this land? Is short-term profit worth long-term environmental loss?
4. Ministers and Decision-Makers Must Be Held Accountable
While the Department of Mines and Petroleum approves tenements, environmental ministers and state parliamentarians must step in to ensure these decisions align with broader government commitments—like ending native forest logging and acting on climate.
Public pressure works. It was public campaigns that helped end native forest logging in 2024. Ministers respond when enough people raise their voices.
The Power of Collective Action
The “Save Dalgarup” campaign, led by local conservation groups and supported by statewide organisations like WA Forest Alliance, is mobilising community opposition to these mining threats. The campaign calls for:
Immediate withdrawal of exploration licences in Dalgarup and other high-conservation-value forests
Legislative protection of all native forests under threat
A moratorium on new mining activity in former logging areas
You don’t have to live near Dalgarup to make a difference. You can:
Sign petitions and write to MPs
Share information on social media
Support eco-tourism in the region
Join on-ground forest actions or contribute to legal funds
When people from across WA show that they care, it becomes politically impossible to ignore.
The Dalgarup Forest is more than a patch of trees in the southwest. It is a living ecosystem, a carbon sink, a wildlife refuge, a recreational treasure, and a public asset. It represents the kind of natural legacy we should be protecting—not handing over to mining interests under the guise of economic development.